Monday, 3 August 2009

NEWS FROM THE DIRECTOR

Our first seminar on music was a wonderful example of the breadth of knowledge and interest that speakers can impart. The topic of music was one that probably everyone in the audience could personally relate to, and our speakers gave us new insights into its evolutionary history and relevance to human wellbeing. The Centre has been very busy while students had their mid-year break.  We have created a Certificate course that comprises the first four units of the existing Graduate Diploma in Integrated Human Studies.  The certificate is a good option for those who want a part-time one-year course to give global context and future focused skills and knowledge after their undergraduate degree, but who don’t necessarily wish to go on to do a major research project. We are also still working towards getting our first year units ready, and as we delve around in the vast array of online resources, we are heartened by the number of groups with a similar ethos and aims.  Many of the groups identify education as a major tool to achieve sustainability and human wellbeing, and target primary and secondary schools. See, for example, Oxfam’s information about Global Citizenship: https://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/gc/ “Global citizenship” is a catchall term to describe the hoped-for outcomes of many programs. Our Integrated Human Studies courses are purpose-designed for tertiary students.  We aim not to capture or harness their intelligence and idealism, but to enable them to take flight in active global citizenship.  Tertiary students are educating themselves to take their parts as adults in our society, and go on to become leaders in industry, commerce, education, law, medicine and government.  A solid foundation of interdisciplinary skills and understandings will inform their influence and actions for the rest of their lives.

Professor Neville Bruce
Director, Centre for Integrated Human Studies

HIAM HEALTH CASE STUDY – TALK ON AUGUST 3

HIAM-Health is a small non-government organisation, situated in the grounds of Dili Hospital, that works holistically to prevent malnutrition in East Timor. HIAM stands for Hamutuk ita ajuda malu: “together we help each other”. Staffed by East Timorese nationals and supported by AusAid volunteers, its mission is to empower East Timorese people to work together to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates and improve health and social conditions.

On Monday August 3 , local supporter Robyn Pickrell will give a presentation on the activities of HIAM-Health, including the background to its foundation, and future prospects. The Perth group Friends of HIAM-Health  endeavours through volunteer work and fundraising to support its Malnutrition Rehabilitation and Education Centre. Robyn seeks collaboration with researchers and students wishing to investigate opportunities to work in the third sector. Everyone is welcome to attend this talk, which is free.

It will be held in Seminar room 1.81 in the School of Anatomy and Human Biology, at UWA, and begins at 12pm .

NEXT SEMINAR: MATESHIP – ICONIC OR IRONIC? AUGUST 12

“We value excellence as well as fairness, independence as dearly as mateship” Draft Constitutional Preamble, John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia, 1999

G’day mate: it’s the iconic Aussie greeting, and mateship is the iconic cultural attribute of Australian men. But is it or was it ever representative of an egalitarian, inclusive, loyal ideal?  Does it survive today in clubs and bars? Does mateship have a dark side? Dr Debra Judge looks at primate behaviour to shed light on the evolutionary origins of mateship; Nathan Jarvis , author of "Origin of the Speccies" (no, that's not a typo – it's a book about footy!), considers mateship in sport and clubs; and Dr Mark Edwards speaks about mateship and business ethics. The seminar is in Seminar room 1.81 at the School of Anatomy and Human Biology, UWA, at the usual time of 530 – 7 pm.  Bring a friend!

NOTES FROM THE LAST SEMINAR, MUSIC

Neville introduced the series by reminding the audience that Integrated Human Studies is all about understanding what it means to be human, and how to promote human wellbeing in a sustainable environment.  The 21st century presents unique challenges, and a broad-based understanding of human behaviour underpinning an interdisciplinary approach will be necessary to grasp complex issues and propose solutions.

Dr Nicholas Bannan invited us to consider the possibility that birdsong-like music existed before speech developed.  This idea, proposed by 18th century French encyclopaedists and also by the Latin poet Lucretius (“ Men learnt to mimic with their mouths the trilling notes of birds long before they were able to enchant the ear by joining together in tuneful song . On the Nature of the Universe , Bk 5, translated by RE Latham), begs the question, could humans have used this as a form of communication? Charles Darwin attempted to explain the case, and likened it to the sounds made by gibbons.  Dr Bannan explained that our experience of sound has a variety of parameters that apply both to music and to speech. Our control of these variables – duration, pitch, amplitude and timbre – enables humans to create a huge range of sounds that communicate with great nuance and effect.  While some animals can do some of the things humans can do (for example, Alex the parrot, who died in 2007), none has such a highly evolved capacity for language. The similarities of the preconditions for music and speech do suggest that a musical communication system may have preceded language evolution.

Professor Jane Davidson pointed out that in some cultures there is no linguistic distinction between music and dance.  She was interested in the social and psychological context of people’s expertise in music, and their enjoyment of it. All people are inherently musical.  “Motherese” – the language that parents use to communicate with babies – is often more musical than verbal.  In many cultures, “musicking” is a daily practice, while in ours performance has been separated from everyday life.  Professor Davidson’s research is in the field of music and wellbeing.  She is studying the effects of group singing in a range of aged cohorts – it’s important to pay attention to this age group as by 2051, one third of the Australian population will be over 70 – and has found pleasing social, emotional and physical outcomes. Singing, which is physically exercising, but low-impact, creative, and cognitively challenging, satisfies the “liberation phase” experienced by older people and described by developmental psychologist Gene Cohen. It also fulfils the same needs for competency, autonomy, relatedness and purpose that drive people to learn a musical instrument – but is easier! Professor Davidson showed a video of some of her aged choirs that was both inspiring and moving.

Questions and comments included:

  • There has been rapid change around our experience of music this century.  People used to gather to make music together; now we can download music and “receive” it alone.
  • Music ability covers a great range.  Not being “good” at singing or playing shouldn’t prevent people from doing it.
  • Western educational models knocked the music out of us.
  • If it is relaxing for humans to listen to whale song, is it good for animals to listen to human music? (Answer: yes! See https://www.musiced.org.uk/teachers/powerofmusic/pom.pdf )
  • Most meditative traditions use regulated breathing with or without voiced additions.
  • The iPod phenomenon removes music from its original context – but even iPod users sing!

GLOBAL HEALTH

The Global Health Short Course began last Monday and continues as follows:

  • August 3: Making poverty history (the causes and cures of global inequality)
  • August 10: Getting shot is bad for your health + No place to call home (Conflict and health + The health of displaced persons)
  • August 17: Access to essential medicines (Patent law and how this affects patients)
  • August 24: It’s getting hot in here + When disaster strikes (Climate change and health + Emergency humanitarian relief)
  • August 31: Closing the gap (Aboriginal health)
  • September 7: Mums and Bubs (Women’s and children’s health)
  • September 14: AIDS (The AIDS epidemic)

The course runs every Monday until September 14 at 5:30pm at Tattersall Lecture Theatre , UWA.  There is no charge to attend – everyone is welcome to come along and learn about some of the important health issues affecting people around the world.

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